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Track your Hormone Pattern to get Pregnant Faster
Eloise Edington | 5 Oct 2021
Hormones control so much about us, from our mood to our physical characteristics and, very obviously, our fertility. Having a fuller understanding of how monitoring your hormone levels can better your chances of a successful conception may shorten the time that you need to wait to get pregnant.
Fertility Help Hub has asked Mira Fertility Tracker to reveal all about hormone testing, to help our readers learn more about the correlation between hormones and fertility issues.
Read on to find out how hormone testing can help you in many ways – from exposing underline health issues to knowing exactly the right time to have sex when you are TTC.
By Mira
Fertility Hormones
Hormones are similar to fingerprints in the sense that we all have varying levels of certain hormones — so it can be helpful to find out your specific levels using hormone tracking. This will help to give you a complete and personalized fertility picture using your unique hormone patterns.
To give you the best insight into your cycle and help you maximise your chances of conception, you will need to track the following primary fertility hormones concentrations:
- luteinizing hormone (LH)
- estrogen (E3G)
- progesterone (PdG)
Calculating your fertile window
Your fertile window depends on the length of your menstrual cycle. Ovulation can occur during a large range of days, from day 6-21. Even among women with the same menstrual cycle length, studies have found that ovulation can occur on different dates.
Regardless of when you ovulate, your sex hormones follow a predictable path before ovulation. Estrogen usually rises in the 3-5 days leading to ovulation. Luteinizing hormone (LH) also surges 24-36 hours before ovulation, peaking 10-12 hours prior to ovulation.
The changes in these two hormones cause ovulation — the start of your fertile window — which is why your hormones are one of the most accurate and fundamental signs of ovulation to track. You are usually fertile when your estrogen levels begin to rise and you reach your peak fertility day at the LH surge. Being able to identify your fertile window is key to successful conception and there are a variety of methods you could try.
What is a fertile window and is it the same as ovulation?
Ovulation only lasts 24-36 hours during each menstrual cycle, but your fertile window can be much longer. Your fertile ‘window-of-opportunities’ are the days leading up to ovulation as well as the day following ovulation.
Your eggs only live up to 24 hours after they are released from the ovary. Any time beyond this 24 hour period, the egg will begin to degrade, but sperm can live for much longer. Sperm can live up to five days in a woman’s cervical mucus, which is why your fertile window includes the days leading up to ovulation as well as ovulation itself.
Does this mean that your fertile window is the same as ovulation? Your fertile window is not the same as ovulation, however the egg can be fertilized at any time during the fertile window, including the 4-5 days leading up to ovulation and the day after. The day before and the day of ovulation are your peak fertility days. The time when ovulation takes place can vary month to month, so knowing precisely when you ovulate is important when trying to conceive.

Tracking methods
The Calendar Method of Birth Control
The Calendar Method of birth control uses a calendar or cycle calculator to determine your fertile days. By calculating your typical cycle length, tracking your period and counting backwards from your shortest and longest cycle you can determine your fertile window.
Although the calendar method is effective, it has its challenges since it’s based on standard cycle lengths that may not accurately reflect your own or irregular cycles. Even for women with regular cycles, the calendar method may not be accurate. We may not always have the same cycle length, and we may not always ovulate 14 days before our next period. The calendar method of birth control is also an effective option for those who have time to spare as it usually takes six months or more of continuous logging finally to get an accurate prediction.
Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
With this method, you measure your body’s resting temperature, or basal body temperature (BBT), every morning before getting out of bed and immediately upon waking. Based on the temperature readings (there is a slight rise in BBT after ovulation), women can predict when they are most fertile. For this method, you’ll need a special thermometer, consistency in taking your BBT, and at least 3 cycles to track your basal body temperature to determine your fertile window.
Again, this is not a method that can provide instant results as you will need to sacrifice three months of time even to begin predicting your ovulation.
Cervical Mucus
Normally, your cervical mucus is thick, creamy, and white or yellow in discharge. During ovulation, it becomes stretchy, clear, and slippery like the texture of an egg white. By monitoring the change in consistency, you begin to understand the patterns of your cervical mucus throughout your cycle and predict your fertile days based on this information. You’ll need to check your cervix every day and it may take several cycles of tracking to understand fully the unique changes in your cervical mucus.
Hormone Testing
Hormone testing is one of the most scientifically trusted ways to detect a fertile window and it is especially helpful for those who are struggling with infertility and may not be able to use other methods. Testing your levels of estrogen and LH can help you predict your full fertile window, not just the date of ovulation. To know exactly what’s happening with your body, you would need to measure the numeric levels of fertility hormones with a urine test. The Mira Fertility Tracker is a hormone tracker that can do all the above by providing you with at-home urine tests. Mira tracks your fertility hormones continuously, and the Mira App gives you personalized fertility insights based on your unique hormone data.

Understanding the role of fertility hormones when TTC
Fertility hormones play a crucial role in a woman’s health, and they are working behind the scenes every month to prepare for a potential pregnancy. As your body goes through a series of predictable changes each month, different hormones come into play and their levels can change drastically.
Luteinizing Hormone
The luteinizing hormone (LH) is responsible for triggering ovulation and developing the remnant egg sac in the ovary. During ovulation, LH surges, which sends a signal to the ovary that it’s time to release an egg.
LH works to burst the follicle and free up the egg for fertilization. Healthy LH levels fluctuate throughout life and menstrual cycles and research shows that there are many different LH surge patterns.
Estrogen
Estrogen is a primary sex hormone that helps regulate the menstrual cycle, fertility and overall health. Estrogen is produced by the follicles and remnant egg sac after ovulation.
Healthy levels are essential for a fertile menstrual cycle, and this hormone plays an important role in maintaining your reproductive health. It’s responsible for building up the lining of your uterus every month and helps regulate the flow and thickness of uterine mucus secretions.
Adequate estrogen levels are needed to maintain fertility and any change in your levels can affect your ovulation, fertility, and overall health.
Progesterone
Sometimes called the pregnancy hormone, progesterone is an all-star female hormone that works on many fronts. From preparing your body for pregnancy to maintaining your sex drive, progesterone primarily supports your body in getting pregnant and maintaining pregnancy.
Made by the ovaries, placenta (if pregnant) and adrenal glands, the rise and fall of this hormone help signal your body to shed the uterine lining and trigger your period.
How testing hormones with Mira can help
Mira takes the guesswork out of fertility tracking by analyzing your key fertility hormones (LH, estrogen (E3G) and progesterone (PdG) to best predict your fertile days. By tracking your cycle with a digital fertility analyzer, you can make informed decisions through every stage of your cycle and identify exactly when your fertile days occur. Mira has helped over twenty-thousand people get pregnant through hormone tracking.
Full Fertile Window Tracking
Mira’s digital fertility analyzer measures the numeric levels of fertility hormones with a urine test. By measuring both Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Estrogen, you gain a detailed overview of your entire cycle, including your fertile days. Mira tracks and analyzes your data with its revolutionary AI-powered readings, to learn about your cycle and show your fertile window up to 6 days, allowing you to make the best decision during this time.
Numeric Value of Your Hormone Concentrations
Unlike other methods or tests, Mira reveals actual numeric hormone scores. Numeric hormone levels allow you to compare readings and access your information within the App. You will receive personalized fertility insights based on your unique hormone data and also learn your changing hormone patterns. This information helps you make informed decisions and pinpoint your full fertile window.

Predict and Confirm Your Ovulation
Mira can help you to predict and confirm your ovulation and detect your fertile window. After ovulation, progesterone levels go up for about 5 days before going back down if you are not pregnant. A progesterone test confirms ovulation and it can even help to check the health of a pregnancy.
Irregular Cycle and PCOS Friendly
TTC can be even more challenging when your periods are irregular or you have a condition that affects the ovaries like PCOS. Hormonal imbalances mean ovulation may not always take place and levels may not follow predictable patterns, making ovulation testing that much more challenging. With Mira, you can see your actual hormone levels and your ovulation based on your personal baselines and thresholds. The hormone data that Mira provides can be extremely useful for those with these types of conditions.
You can let Mira take the guesswork out of tracking your fertile and infertile days with hormone readings to get a complete, personalized fertility picture.
Use code MIRAKIT10 at checkout to save 10% off the Mira Fertility Plus Starter Kit or Mira Plus Kit+Confirm Wands bundle to get started with convenient, at-home hormone testing today.
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